Surgical tables and associated systems for examining and operating on specimens, which may include rodents and other small animals, provide support and stability for performing delicate procedures. Surgical procedures are often paired with anesthesia as a means to reduce the pain of the subject as well ensure stability throughout the procedure by reducing the movement of the subject.
Traditionally, a subject or specimen was secured to a stationary object and administered anesthesia through a separate source such as by injectable or inhalable means. Additionally, once secured, the specimen could only be moved through contact with the specimen. This current process of adjusting a specimen is cumbersome and inefficient providing slower procedure times and increased costs. Conventional surgical apparatuses and associated methods also fail to allow for easy access to the specimen from various angles during a procedure.
Applicant has identified a number of additional deficiencies and problems associated with conventional surgical tables and associated systems and methods. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are described in detail herein.